Creating Your Character: A Guide
We put a great deal of emphasis on the character creation process, as you are, essentially, creating a person to live in our world. We want to make sure they will fit in and be a valuable part of our Thedas. Please use the following guide as you fill out the Character Profile Template. Things to keep in mind *Do not include any out-of-character comments in your profile. *Your profile should be written from the point of view of your character, but in third person. *Do not include any dialogue in your profile. *A profile picture and/or avatar is not required for approval of the profile. *Consult the Warden's Vigil Timeline to ensure proper continuity. Basic Information Race We allow most sentient races that appear in Dragon Age: Origins. Please refer to this list of prohibited/restricted character types for more detailed information on races that are not listed below. Class We allow any classes that appear in Dragon Age: Origins. Please refer to this list of prohibited/restricted character types for more detailed information. A character's class should be chosen based on your roleplaying goals as opposed to combat. Combat scenarios make up only roughly 10% of interactions on the board. Specialization Characters may start with only ONE specialization. We have a number of restrictions on the specializations we allow. Please refer to this list of prohibited/restricted character types for more detailed information. All Specializations have history and training requirements. Please be sure that when taking a specialization that you add in training from a mentor or other teachers in your history. Certain specializations may have more than just training requirements. If you are unsure, please ask one of the admins or moderators for clarification. Also remember you do not have to start play with a specialization. Occupation You may choose any realistic occupation for your character, depending on your roleplaying goals. Examples include: *Shopkeeper *Thief *Guard *Artist *Minstrel *Mercenary *Etc. This is not an exhaustive list. If you would like to have an occupation not listed here, please feel free to contact the moderating team with your questions. The moderating team will not accept profiles for prostitutes or other sex workers. Characters in Leadership Roles If you choose to play a character in a leadership role, such as a noble or a commander, then you will need to review our article Expectations for Characters in Leadership Roles. If you feel you cannot abide by these expectations, then we ask that you not play a character in this role. Human Nobles Please note that human nobility (knights, banns, and offspring of banns and arls) are allowed for first time players, but require contact with the moderating team in advance. Please PM the moderating team if you are interested in applying for a noble character. Arls and their equivalents from other countries (as well as anyone of higher status from outside Ferelden) will still be restricted to players who already have one active character on the board. These positions are best to be earned through roleplay, and we would encourage you to make a lesser noble with ambitions for higher status if you wish to play a greater noble. High-status Figures If you wish to create a high-status figure, such as a crime boss, high-level diplomat, a member of the military with a rank greater than soldier, or anyone that potentially has significant power over other players or NPCs, please PM the moderating team with your request in advance. Grey Wardens If you wish to be a Ferelden Grey Warden, this must be achieved through roleplay. Please see our article on Becoming a Grey Warden. Players with one or more active characters may apply to play a Grey Warden from another country. Please refer to this list of prohibited/restricted character types for more detailed information. Blight Tainted Characters Blight tainted/Darkspawn tainted characters are not allowed at character creation. The reasons for this are multiple: * Without permission to become a Grey Warden, your character will die off rather quickly. * It will make it hard for others to interact with you since tainted individuals are usually killed on sight to prevent the spread of the taint. * The chance for encountering darkspawn is slim, unless you come from a specific country. Companion Companions are restricted to domesticated animals. No sentient creatures may be listed as companions in this section; if your character is accompanied by an NPC character (e.g., your mage has an NPC templar), they may be listed in your history section. Other Fields Appearance When you describe your character in your profile: *'Avoid telling other characters how they should react to him/her. '''This is a form of godmoding, and is not permitted on Warden's Vigil. Please see this article on godmoding for more information. *'Avoid over-the-top descriptions or features.' Characters should be realistic and flawed. Perfect characters are boring and have little room for development. Please keep the following things in mind as you describe your character. Abilities This section details what your character is capable of in combat and other situations. Personality Your character's personality will determine how he or she reacts to the world and the people in it. This is an essential piece of your character's make-up as it will help you determine how to interact with other players. *'Avoid over-the-top traits.' Characters should be realistic and flawed. Perfect characters are boring and have little room for development. *'Make sure your personality does not conflict with elements in your history.' For example, if your character highly values life, they will likely not have a history of assassination. *'Be realistic.' Often, the most interesting characters are the ones you could imagine meeting in your hometown. Real people have bad sides as well as good sides. *'Keep it simple.' Complex personalities can be extremely difficult to roleplay. Simplifying your character may lead to more interactions with other characters, and more fun. *'Keep interaction in mind.' Creating a character who is anti-social or does not speak may sound interesting, but their interactivity will be limited. This also applies to characters who are crazy, psychotic, and/or serial killers. *'Be detailed. We expect more than just a couple of sentences to describe your character’s personality adequately. At least two full paragraphs is '''required, but the maximum is 4 paragraphs. *'Pictures may not be used in lieu of written description.' Being able to describe in writing a character's clothing, weaponry, the setting, etc., is essential to roleplaying in this format. History This is the most important section in your profile. It tells us what we need to know about your character's upbringing and what made them who they are today, but beyond that, it also shows the moderating team whether you understand the lore and world of Dragon Age: Origins. *'Make sure your history is a summary.' This is not a short story. Dialogue should not be used. Remember, this is a summary of your character's life up to present day and will give other players an idea of what to expect when interacting with you. Profiles should be written in third person perspective. While we expect some level of detail, going beyond 12 paragraphs is excessive. We will ask you to trim your history down before doing a full review if you exceed this limit. *'Clear, concise language is a must.' This is your opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills. It is the writer's responsibility to ensure the reader understands their meaning, and not vice versa. You should proofread to catch any spelling or punctuation errors, but we're more concerned with ensuring that your message is easily understood. *'Be detailed. '''We expect more than just a paragraph to describe your character’s history adequately. You should have a '''minimum of two' paragraphs of eight to ten sentences, but be aware that the best histories are usually five to ten paragraphs in length. *'Use NPC canon character connections sparingly.' We’re not adverse to your character having contact with NPC canon characters, but it should be minimal and done only when absolutely necessary, when a original character can’t be used instead. *'Get permission before referring to player canon characters.' If you wish to have a connection with a canon character that is in play on the boards, send that character a quick PM detailing the desired involvement and asking their permission. Once you have received permission for their involvement, please PM the moderating team so we’re aware and don’t hold up the approval of your profile in order to verify it. *'Consider the following' when you write the history: **How did they grow up? **Who or what influenced them when they were young? **What events in their life made them what they are today? **How did they learn the skills they have? **What bent and shaped their personality? **What did they do during the Blight? **What are their goals/motivations as you bring them into play? *'If your character is a mage', you don't need to detail their Harrowing. The important part is that they undertook it, and they passed. When you're done Post your character profile in the Character Profiles forum. Profiles are reviewed as time allows. Please see this article on Profile Reviews for more information. Once you're approved When you have received your two moderator stamps, your profile has been moved to the Approved Profiles forum, and your name is colored, you may start or enter a thread. Additional articles you'll want to read to help you get started: *Getting Started at Warden's Vigil *Posting Etiquette *Your Part in Immersive Roleplay Once you've been an approved, active member for a month or more, you may think about creating a second character. Please see these articles/pages for more information. *Creating Additional Characters *Playing a Canon Character *Looking For... Resources Character Creation Information, Template, and Guide Race and Class Restrictions Creating Additional Characters Godmoding Weapons, Armor, and Item Restrictions Enchantment Skills and Talents/Spells Worksheet Profile Reviews Category:Rules and Policies Category:Character Creation Category:Characters